In Cairo, Egypt in the early 1800s when an emancipated slave died without male descendants or collateral relations, his former master would inherit his estate. If the former master predeceased the former slave, the former master’s heirs would inherit. – source: Manners and…

Osborne stood and tossed some coins to the table. “Surely we can be more generous with one so lovely,” the fair one said. His smile turned the waitress pink and she swayed toward him, the wine bottle on her tray…

A second man had joined the game. There’d been only one in Rome; Arthur was certain of it. This new one was younger and as fair as his companion was swarthy. Swarthy. It was not a usual word. Which is…